Publisher Alireza Ramezani is quoted by AFP as saying Iran's Culture Ministry has prohibited the publication of "I Will Turn Out The Lights," about a married woman's unrequited love for another man.

The reasons for the ban are not clear. The book has reportedly sold more than 200,000 copies in Iran since 2001. The move comes amid what is seen as a clampdown on Iran's publishing industry.

In recent months, the Culture Ministry has tightened censorship regulations, banning the publication of dozens of new titles and reprints, including the widely acclaimed "Blind Owl" by one of the giants of Iranian literature, Sadegh Hedayat.

Publishers have warned that the new regulations could destroy Iran's independent publishing industry.